Untreated diabetes, for example, can lead to significant risk factors including, heart disease and stroke, among several other health problems. Likewise, untreated mental illness can lead to death- self-harming and suicidal thoughts. As an individual in recovery with signs and symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, this particular phrase sounds like a scale that should not be applied to mental health.
Since 2007, I've been in recovery. And, since 2012, I've held the position of a peer counselor or Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), which is a Medicaid billable service in the state of Georgia. It is my job to motivate peers to stay hopeful about their recovery and to help them tackle goals, such as independent living and mental health education. Also, I educate peers on their medical issues such as hypertension and diabetes through the Whole Health Action Management (WHAM) curriculum.
I've had terrible bouts with depression among my other symptoms with mental illness. Signs of depression varies from person to person. For me, it interfered with my normal hygiene routine and can feel like an ongoing hurdle to maintain energy to perform simple tasks. It has separated me from being content with activities and relationships that generally adds satisfaction to my life and are important to me. Depression takes away my tolerance to enjoy the small pleasures of daily living and motivation to meet typical demands.
It is her right to articulate her experience and define it as "low-grade depression." Now, many people gravitate towards this understanding, yet they still do not know the challenges of living with depression. As an individual with mental health challenges, the "low-grade depression," perspective undermines the struggle and ongoing fight for a better day every day.
Many people experience symptoms of depression through challenging situations. However, there is a difference between life stressors that makes people sad versus having depression. They are sad about poor events that are triggering, such as the loss of a loved one, unemployment, bankruptcy, poverty, natural disaster, and relationship issues and separation, and more. The pandemic is another example.
However, there is a difference between being sad and having depression. The individual who is sad understands why they are sad and can identify the trigger. While the person who is depressed may or may not have a life-altering trigger and event that causes the state of mind. They have ongoing symptoms.
Some people manage their mental health conditions without medication and maintain. They may have many good days. But, they are still at risk of their symptoms and challenging days. The individual still has a diagnosis with ongoing challenges.
Similarly, with other medical issues, some people can control symptoms with lifestyle changes. For example, high blood pressure and diabetes. If the person follows a strict diet, exercises regularly, and minimizes their alcohol-intake, and quits smoking, they can control symptoms.
Still, if they discontinue their healthy habits they are in trouble, again. They have a health plan to combat the issue. Likewise, people may not take medication for their depression, but they utilize a lot of coping strategies to maintain, such as vitamins and supplements, exercising, meditation, faith, affirmations, pet therapy, counseling, talking to someone, and so forth.
Nobody should measure the severity of a health issue, because if it impacts their way of feeling and doing things that usually are easy to them it is a problem. I do not want people to put the label "low-grade depression" on mental illness, because it perpetuates misinformation and prolongs a false understanding of the challenges people work hard at to overcome.
In fact, my definition of a mental illness: it is an automatic response to a trigger, perception, and chemical imbalance of the brain that can alter an individual's thought processing, moods, and behaviors. Still, a sad moment, poor season, or years, resembles signs to depression, but it is not a life-long battle like the diagnosis of depression., which can challenge the ability to function.
Lastly, if you are experiencing signs of depression such as fatigue, loss of energy, lack of pleasure in typical things, suicidal thoughts, crying spells, poor hygiene, and irritability among other symptoms, I encourage you to discuss your challenges with a healthcare professional, and seek therapy, and consider medication if that is what your doctor recommends in order to control symptoms of your depression.
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